Eliminative Cleavage of Pectin and of Oligogalacturonide Methyl Esters by Pectin Trans-eliminase.

In the preceding paper (1) a method was described for the purification of the extracellular pectin trans-eliminase of Aspergillus jonsecaeus. The enzyme was purified by a three-step procedure to the point at which other pectic enzymes and cellulase were no longer detectable. The effects of pH, of Na+, Mg++, and Ca++ ions, and of a few anions on the activity of the enzyme were also reported. In the present paper an account is given of the course of action of pectin trans-eliminase on pectin and on certain oligogalacturonide methyl esters. The products of these reactions have been analyzed by paper chromatography.